This invention relates to systems for monitoring objects which are being processed or moved by workers, and, more specifically, to systems for automatically monitoring the handling by workers of objects using tags in the objects.
In many businesses, objects are handled by workers, and it is desirable from a management or industrial engineering standpoint to develop data regarding the interaction of workers with each object.
Computer hardware and software used to derive such data have traditionally been configured as xe2x80x9cexplicitxe2x80x9d systems, in which the computer performs a task in reaction to a user input, such as typing on a keyboard or clicking on a mouse. In these systems, the computer takes no action if there is no input.
Explicit computer systems have been proposed that receive input relating to which objects workers are processing in a variety of ways. For example, in some systems, workers carry a bar code reader and scan each object that they work on. Similarly, a worker may be given systems such as a scanning pen input or a keyboard mounted on the worker""s forearm to explicitly input processing data to an ERP system. However, the repeated action of scanning the bar code or the other data entry, in the aggregate, uses a substantial portion of the workers"" time and may be very inconvenient. Also, more importantly, the act of data entry is an affirmative action that can be overlooked by the worker, resulting in missing and erroneous data.
Even approaches that make explicit interaction much simpler, such as voice recognition systems that the worker speaks to without a need for manual action to send data to a management system, have a number of difficulties, which are well known, and are still vulnerable to the worker failing to take the explicit action that triggers an input to the data collection system.
xe2x80x9cImplicitxe2x80x9d systems, i.e., systems that input data without any explicit action by the worker to trigger data entry, have also been suggested, but these systems are also vulnerable to the formation of erroneous data. For example, automatic bar code scanners have been used in conveyor belt systems, but these systems miss items, and also may not be usable in more random environments, such as package delivery rooms where objects are not arranged in a line.
The systems of the prior art therefore fail to offer adequately reliable data collection for monitoring the movement or handling of articles.
Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to provide an implicit interface system that overcomes the unreliability of the prior art, and that efficiently processes information about articles being processed or handled by one or more workers.
According to the present invention, a worker carries a sensor that senses a tag device associated with an article being processed by the worker. This tag device is preferably a passive tag in or on the article that can be wirelessly scanned to obtain tag-specific identifying data, such as a tag number, which has been earlier recorded as corresponding to the specific associated article.
A computer connected with the receiver uses the identifying data to obtain or derive a network address on a computer data network. The computer system then accesses this address on the network.
Preferably, data relating to the worker contact with the article is also sent over the network to the address, and the server, or a management computer attached to it, causes a record to be stored reporting the access regarding the article. Other information regarding the origin of the data and the access, i.e., time and place of contact with the article, the worker(s) involved, etc., may also be included in the record. This information may be integrated with other information used to monitor or control the processing of the articles.
The server may also access data regarding the article and transmit this data back to the sending computer for display to the worker accessing the article. Where desirable, further communications between the worker and the server are provided.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system that can be worn by a worker as part of the worker""s clothing, preferably a glove containing a sensor that senses the tag devices in articles that the worker contacts.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification herein.